The interview is with Konstantinos Giannopoulos, often known as Kosta, who’s a portrait and nude photographer residing in Germany. Kosta discovered images by way of apply and the web and commenced creating NFTs in February 2022 on Basis. He likes to be impressed by individuals’s fears and worries, fashions’ tales, and locations he visits together with his household. His artistic course of is versatile, generally having a transparent imaginative and prescient and planning the shoot, whereas different instances letting the shoot evolve organically. Kosta’s model includes capturing with daylight, and he sees a constructive growth in his model. He believes that NFTs have an important future forward and can open doorways for a lot of hidden skills. Kosta’s upcoming drops will take a while as he has many concepts to implement.
Are you able to inform us about your background and the way you bought into creating NFT artwork?
Kosta: Hello, I’m Konstantinos Giannopoulos, however everybody calls me Kosta. I’m a portrait and nude photographer residing in Germany, and I’m the son of Greek immigrants who got here within the late 60s. I’m 43 years previous, married, and have three kids. I’ve been keen on images since I used to be a toddler, however throughout the analog time, creating movies was not low cost. I discovered a standard career, and when it was financially doable, I purchased my first mirror DSLR digicam to {photograph} our first little one. I nonetheless do images alongside my job, and perhaps I’ll handle to reside from it, which might be my dream. I didn’t research or get taught images. I discovered every part by way of apply and from the web. I first examine NFTs in February 2022 once I switched from Instagram to Twitter due to the nude laws. After I learn a couple of posts from Kingofmidtown.eth, I actually wished to be part of it as a result of I wished to attain extra than simply likes on social media with my work.
When did you form your first NFT? Which platform did you select and why?
Kosta: I formed my first NFT on the finish of February on Basis. I preferred the positioning structure, and it was simpler to seek out high-quality images NFTs there.
Are you able to inform us one factor you may’t reside with out? (and why)
Kosta: My household, as a result of they’ve supported me to pursue my ardour.
Who’re a few of your favourite artists, each within the conventional and NFT house?
Kosta: It is a troublesome query as a result of I like too many various artists from totally different genres. I can’t determine on a range.
Are you able to discuss a particular piece of NFT artwork you’ve created that you simply’re significantly happy with?
Kosta: It’s laborious to reply as a result of as an artist, you may have a unique relationship to what you create than the viewer. For instance, “A Summer time Day within the Corn Area” is at present being proven in Beijing, and “Superbadgirl” can be proven at NFT NYC 2023, which makes me proud that these two are being proven, however I don’t love them greater than the opposite NFTs.
How do you get impressed and maintain arising with new concepts on your artwork?
Kosta: I’m impressed in several methods. I’m a really empathetic particular person. For instance, a couple of days earlier than I created my assortment “Trapped inside me” on Basis, I had a dialog with a collector who instructed me that nobody round him is aware of that he loves to gather nude artwork as a result of he’s afraid of the reactions of others. With this collection of images, I wished to characterize the fears and worries of people that don’t dare to indicate the actual me and are available out of themselves. In my assortment “Hope at Ninfa,” I used to be influenced extra by the mannequin. Since she fled from Ukraine, she revealed to me throughout the preliminary interview your worries and fears that the battle there triggers in her. There are additionally conditions, reminiscent of walks with my household, the place I see locations the place I can straight think about a shoot with a mannequin. Then I take into consideration how I wish to implement this and the way the mannequin ought to look, and so on. It has additionally occurred that I’ve booked solely the mannequin, and the concepts got here solely once we have been on the location. I’m impressed or influenced in some ways.
Are you able to inform us about your artistic course of and the way you go about bringing your concepts to life?
Kosta: My artistic course of is sort of versatile and relies on the venture. Generally I’ve a transparent imaginative and prescient of what I wish to obtain, and I plan the shoot accordingly, from the placement, mannequin, and wardrobe to the digicam settings and lighting. Different instances, I’ve a tough thought, and I let the shoot evolve organically, guided by the mannequin’s vitality, the environment, and my instinct. I at all times attempt to set up a cushty and respectful ambiance on the set, the place the mannequin feels secure and might specific herself freely. After the shoot, I choose the most effective photos and edit them in post-processing to boost their aesthetic qualities and convey the temper and message I had in thoughts.
If you happen to may journey wherever on this planet, the place would you go, and why this location?
Kosta: A really huge dream was to go to New York, which I can lastly notice this yr and go to NYC in an NFT as certainly one of my NFTs is proven. In any other case, I might like to journey to the USA as a result of this nation has so many lovely locations with beautiful landscapes.
How did you provide you with your particular model?
Kosta: It’s laborious to say, however perhaps it was influenced by my first contact with nude images at a workshop. That was in an previous manufacturing room the place the sunshine was unbelievable to {photograph} nude. Since then, I wish to shoot solely with daylight in each shoot. However sadly, it’s not at all times doable as a result of in winter, the times are brief, and the climate is just not at all times nice in Germany, so I’ve to go to the studio.
How has your model advanced through the years?
Kosta: I see a constructive growth in my model. I at all times be taught one thing, and if that weren’t so, it might be unhappy as a result of there isn’t a extra growth.
What do you see as the way forward for NFT artwork, and the way do you see it evolving?
Kosta: NFT artwork has an important future forward, and we’re nonetheless at the start. I assume and hope that it’s going to grow to be technically simpler for the typical shopper, in order that extra artists and collectors will are available.
How do you steadiness the technical features of making NFT artwork with the artistic aspect?
Kosta: When I’ve the artistic section, I don’t take into consideration NFTs anymore – that may be too distracting.
How do you assume NFTs have modified the artwork world, and what affect do you assume it can have in the long run?
Kosta: We’re nonetheless at the start, however it can occur. In the long term, will probably be indispensable as a result of it opens the door to the world for a lot of. There are such a lot of hidden skills that aren’t found, however with NFTs, you may showcase your artwork from wherever you may have web.
The place do you see your self and your work headed sooner or later, and what objectives do you may have on your NFT artwork profession?
Kosta: It’s troublesome to reply in a bear market. Hope and see are fairly totally different for the explanation I can not reply the query. I solely hope for extra sooner or later.
The place can collectors discover your work?
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